JPS63158279A - Printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent incorrect set of papers as well as reduce the burden of load on operators by making printing ranges variable by providing a microprocessor to control the speed curves of a drive motor for a printing head according to a plurality of print starting positions, and a sensor for width of papers set. CONSTITUTION:When a paper is set on a printer, whether it has a post card size or not is detected by a post card sensor 18 attached to a paper travelling mechanism. When it has a post card size, the speed curves 22 of a carriage motor 16 stored in the table of ROM of controller 12 are selectively read out by a microprocessor, and printing is started at print starting point A. Also, when it has no post card size, the speed curves 21 are likewise read out selectively and printing is started at print starting point B. When printing positions are designated through an interface 11 by the host device, the speed curves 21 or 22 of the carriage motor 16 are likewise read out selectively according to the designation, and printing is started at printing starting positions according to speed curves.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printer printing method for a serial printer, and particularly to a printer printing method in which the print start position is variable.

[Prior art]

Recently, the demand for printing on small paper such as postcards and business cards has increased, and various methods have been proposed for changing the printing start position of a printer.

For example, in the methods described in JP-A-57-11077 and JP-A-56-15385, the operator changes the print position when setting paper;
The printing position cannot be changed automatically.

Furthermore, for example, in the method described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-56287, the moving speed of the print head is made variable, but no consideration is given to making the printing range variable.

In this method, when controlling the print start position of a serial printer, a sensor set in the print head's movement range determines the initial position and controls the rotation speed of the motor that moves the print head left and right. The print head is made to travel a certain distance from that position according to the speed curve, and once it reaches stable travel, the print start position is determined.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the above conventional technology, when changing the printing start position, the operator must move the tractor for continuous paper, and the operator must move the paper guide for single paper, which places a burden on the operator. The problem was that setting errors were likely to occur. Another problem is that the width of the printer becomes large depending on the paper size used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a printer printing method that can improve the above-mentioned problems and make the printing position variable.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above objects, the printer printing system of the present invention includes a motor that moves the print head left and right, and a control unit that controls the drive of the motor, and prints while serially moving the print head. In the above, the speed curve of the motor corresponds to multiple printing start positions,
It is characterized by being equipped with a microprocessor that manages these speed curves, and automatically changing the print start position according to the size of paper used.

Further, the printer is characterized in that it includes a paper inside detection sensor (postcard detection sensor) that detects the width of the set paper.

[For production]

In the present invention, in order to expand the printing range,
Set a speed curve that reduces the printing speed.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent out-of-step due to sudden start-up of the motor and disturbance of the print position due to hunting before the motor loses stable rotation.

Further, since there is no need to rely on the operator's manual work to move the guide, etc., it is also possible to prevent errors in printing positions.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a printer in an embodiment of the present invention.

The printer of this embodiment has 5 control units 12. Print head driver 13. Motor driver 14. Print head 15. Carriage motor 16. Print head positioning sensor (LM
G sensor)17. and a postcard detection sensor 18, and is connected to a host device (illustrated by wA) via an interface 11.

The control unit 12 is controlled by a microprocessor (not shown), drives the print head I5 via the print head driver 13, and performs printing.

The print head 5 is moved left and right by a carriage motor 16 connected via a motor driver 14 to print at a predetermined position.

The print head I5 is positioned using a print head positioning sensor (LMG sensor) 17, and a postcard detection sensor 18 attached to a paper transport mechanism (not shown)
Check whether the paper size is larger than a postcard.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a speed curve of a carriage motor in an embodiment of the present invention.

Regarding the speed change of the carriage motor 16 when moving the print head 15 left and right, the X-axis and the Y-axis correspond to the moving distance of the carriage, respectively.

and the rotational speed of the motor, then the carriage is.

While gradually moving from the left side to the right side on the X axis, a constant speed is reached, and printing is performed after the speed is stabilized.

When performing normal printing, the carriage motor 16 starts printing from point B according to the speed curve 21.

Further, when printing on postcard-sized paper, the carriage motor 16 starts printing from point A according to the speed curve 22. In this case, although the printing speed is lower than in normal printing, it is possible to print closer to the edge of the paper than point B.

Note that these speed curves are stored in a table in a read-only memory (not shown) of the control unit 12, and read out by a microprocessor (illustrated as VP3) as necessary.

FIG. 3 is a control flowchart of the printer in one embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 (1), when paper is set in the printer of this embodiment (300), the postcard detection sensor 18 attached to the paper transport mechanism (not shown) , detects whether the size of the set paper is postcard size or not (301), and if it is postcard size, the microprocessor (not shown) stores it in a table in the read-only memory (not shown @8) of the control unit 12. The stored speed curve 22 of the carriage motor 16 is selected and read out (302), and printing is performed with the printing start position set as point A (304).

Furthermore, if the size of the set paper is not postcard size (30+), similarly select and read out the speed curve 21 of the carriage motor 16 (303), and print with the printing start position set as point B (304). ).

Furthermore, when the printing position is specified via the interface 11 from the host device (not shown) of the printer of this embodiment, as shown in (2), according to the specified printing position (
305), similarly, select and read the speed curve 2 of the carriage motor 16 (307), or select and read the speed curve 22 (306), or print from the print start position according to that speed curve. Do (308).

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the printing range can be made variable without expanding the movement range of the print head.

Therefore, there is no need to increase the size of the device.

Further, it is possible to reduce the burden on the operator and prevent paper setting errors.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a printer in an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a speed curve of a carriage motor in one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a control flowchart of a printer in one embodiment of the present invention. 11 coin tough ace, 12: control unit, 13: print head driver, 14: motor driver. 15: Print head, 16: Carriage motor, 17: Print head positioning sensor (LM, G sensor), 18
: Postcard detection sensor, 21, 22: Carriage motor speed curve, A, B: Printing start position. Figure 1 Figure 2 ￥ 11 → Distance 4E Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a printer that is equipped with a motor that moves a print head left and right, and means for controlling the drive of the motor, and prints while serially moving the print head, the speed curve of the motor is A printer printing method, which is compatible with a plurality of print start positions, includes means for managing the speed curve, and automatically changes the print start position in accordance with the size of paper used. 2. The printer printing method according to claim 1, wherein the printer includes means for detecting the width of the set paper.